1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lightweight portable concealment devices and methods.
2. Description of Prior Art
There is often a need to conceal oneself when researching wildlife, hunting, camping, working on construction projects, or working in the outdoors. Wildlife researchers conceal themselves so that they can film and study wildlife without disturbing the behavior of the animals. Hunters often conceal themselves in various hunting blinds to avoid being detected by their prey. Campers often conceal themselves to bathe, change clothes, and perform other personal or hygiene activities. Construction workers, military, law enforcement, and others who work in the outdoors also have similar needs for concealment. Various methods have been employed to accomplish these tasks.
In the past, quite complex, heavy structures have been built or constructed for concealment. Hunters have built permanent hunting blinds. Portable huts, shower stalls, dressing shelters, tents, canopies, and complex tree blind structures have been carried into the great outdoors.
The following is a list of patents relating to this field of invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 5845665Demountable structureU.S. Pat. No. 5836330Suspended overhead canopy assembly andmethod thereofU.S. Pat. No. 5630439Portable hutU.S. Pat. No. 5613512Blind structure for use with tree standU.S. Pat. No. 4825578Portable blind apparatusU.S. Pat. No. 4813441Camouflage device for hunter's seatU.S. Pat. No. 4719934Stable lightweight shelter structureU.S. Pat. No. 4505286Portable shelterU.S. Pat. No. 4597401Light weight tentU.S. Pat. No. 4449542Portable hunting blindU.S. Pat. No. 5385165Hunting blindU.S. Pat. No. 4926892Temporary enclosing structureU.S. Pat. No. 3913598Hunter's blind and shelterU.S. Pat. No. 5628338Collapsible blindU.S. Pat. No. 4788997Portable blindU.S. Pat. No. 5361794Unitized foldable tent frameU.S. Pat. No. 4751936Portable field blindU.S. Pat. No. 5669403Hunting blind adapted to be mounted in a treeU.S. Pat. No. 5822906Pit blind for interacting with wildlife andmethod of installation and use thereofU.S. Pat. No. 5803694Portable tree platform elevated with a winchU.S. Pat. No. 5528849Camouflage tube, a portable camouflageconcealment structureU.S. Pat. No. 5377711Camouflage blind for huntersU.S. Pat. No. 3690334Portable hunting blindU.S. Pat. No. 5127180Camouflage device for archery bowU.S. Pat. No. 5062234Portable blindU.S. Pat. No. 4716919Portable blind with automatic opening topU.S. Pat. No. 4683672Collapsible game blindU.S. Pat. No. 3545461Tree suspended enclosureU.S. Pat. No. 3925828Portable showerU.S. Pat. No. 5970536Camp shower apparatusU.S. Pat. No. 5311620Outdoor portable showerU.S. Pat. No. 5446930Portable shower enclosureU.S. Pat. No. 5564138Portable showerU.S. Pat. No. 5937452Portable bathroom assembly
The use of such devices has several disadvantages such as being heavy, bulky, noisy, expensive, and complicated to assemble or use. Most of these devices have only a single use with poor performance. There is a need for a simple, lightweight, compact, portable, multi-use means of concealment.
To avoid being detected by their scent, hunters and other wildlife observers climb trees using tree steps and then remain for hours in a tree stand watching and waiting for animals to pass by. However, a person in a tree stand makes a silhouette against the sky or background and is exposed to a 360 degree view. Animals can easily detect the human silhouette or movement. Further, if the person or equipment makes a noise the animal will know where to look. There is a need for a device that eliminates the silhouette.
Complicated equipment or procedures create a situation where a person may drop equipment or, even worse, fall from the tree stand. Most of the existing devices block the view or mobility of the person.
Metal objects screwed into trees are sometimes forgotten and become over grown by the tree. Later when the lumber is harvested and cut, the saw strikes the metal object and can cause severe damage. Some states have banded the use of metal tree screws or spikes. Any device used for attaching to trees in the forest needs an embodiment that attaches to the outside of the tree and can be easily removed.
The following ground blinds are known in the art:                Hunter's Specialties' “Lightweight Portable Ground Blind”        Avery' “Avery Quick Carry Ground Blind”        U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,234, entitled “Portable Blind”However, these ground blinds are limited in that they are designed for a single use or application.        
The following is a list of patents relating to curtain support brackets:
U.S. Pat. No. 891622Curtain FixtureU.S. Pat. No. 926945Curtain RodU.S. Pat. No. 1079431Curtain PoleU.S. Pat. No. 1298634Window Curtain HangerU.S. Pat. No. 1435110Curtain HolderU.S. Pat. No. 1528910Curtain BracketU.S. Pat. No. 1572845Curtain SupportU.S. Pat. No. 2175501Curtain-Rod SupportHowever, these are old references associated with hanging curtains inside a building on a wall and fail to anticipate many novel features of the present invention.